Athletes

Researchers are creating a database of psychophysiological data collected from athletes during maximal effort tests. This study aims to better understand the relationship between exercise intensity and both objective measures like heart rate and subjective measures such as perceived exertion. The goal is to improve how maximal effort tests are conducted and to offer more personalized training recommendations. Participants will perform a maximal effort test on a treadmill, with researchers gathering data such as ergospirometry, blood samples, and ratings of perceived exertion. This study involves a single group undergoing these tests to build a comprehensive physiological database. During the study, participants will be monitored through various assessments including exercise capacity tests lasting up to one hour, blood sampling, and questionnaires about their perceived effort. These measures will help researchers analyze endurance and exercise intensity, with the study lasting until 2040. Participants health and performance data will be carefully recorded and analyzed to support personalized training advice.

Researchers are investigating how different training methodsplyometric training, functional training, and whole-body electrical muscle stimulation WB-EMSaffect athletic performance and health in university basketball and volleyball players. This randomized crossover study aims to determine which training type best improves power, speed, agility, and overall health, while also assessing injury risk reduction and psychological well-being. The study involves 120 male and female athletes aged 18 to 30 with competitive experience. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups that receive different sequences of training plyometric followed by WB-EMS, functional followed by plyometric, WB-EMS followed by functional, or a control group maintaining their usual training. Each intervention period lasts 8 weeks, separated by a 4-week washout phase. Training sessions include warm-ups, specific exercises tailored to each modality, and cool-downs. WB-EMS sessions use the miha bodytec device to stimulate muscles during dynamic exercises, performed twice weekly for 20-25 minutes. Throughout the study, participants will undergo various assessments at baseline, after each intervention period, and during follow-up. These include physical fitness tests like jump and sprint tests, balance and movement screenings, and questionnaires on sleep quality, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and emotion regulation. Researchers will monitor changes in athletic performance and health over the 20-week intervention timeline to evaluate the effects of each training method.

Researchers are evaluating whether brief sounds or tones played during a limited recovery sleep period after 40 hours of sleep deprivation can enhance the restorative effects of sleep and improve performance during the following awake period. This study involves healthy adults aged 18 to 39 and aims to understand how acoustic stimulation during slow-wave sleep affects alertness and cognitive functions. Participants will experience two nights of approximately four-hour recovery sleep after sleep deprivation. During these recovery sleeps, one group will receive acoustic stimulation via the Philips SmartSleep device during slow-wave sleep, while the other group will receive sham treatment without acoustic stimulation. The device is applied prior to bedtime on both recovery nights to deliver or withhold the acoustic signals. Throughout the study, participants performance and alertness will be assessed using various tests including the Psychomotor Vigilance Task, mathematical processing tests, mood scales, and sleepiness scales over several days. Sleep and wakefulness will also be monitored via polysomnographic recordings and actigraphy. The study includes safety monitoring and adherence checks, with total participation spanning multiple days to capture effects during and after sleep deprivation and recovery.

Researchers are studying different warm-up methods in young competitive swimmers to see how they affect athletic performance. The focus is on Post-Activation Performance Enhancement PAPE, a technique thought to improve performance after short bursts of intense activity. The study compares three warm-up protocols added to the swimmers usual routine, measuring their impact on jump height and swim times over various distances. The study involves four groups one doing squats with elastic bands, one performing drop jumps from a box, one combining both exercises, and a control group that follows no special warm-up. Each exercise protocol has specific sets, repetitions, and recovery times to evaluate their effects. The squats use different resistance bands, while the drop jumps use a 45 cm box for plyometric training. Participants will undergo baseline assessments before warm-ups and repeated tests immediately after and up to 12 minutes later. Measurements include countermovement jump height, swim times, skin temperature, heart rate, muscle oxygen levels, and perceived exertion. The study uses a randomized design and statistical analysis to compare results, aiming to identify the most effective warm-up for young swimmers. The study will run from December 2025 to February 2026.

This research aims to study the immediate effects of foam rolling and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation PNF stretching on muscle flexibility, strength, and pain threshold in amateur athletes. The hamstring muscle plays an important role in rehabilitation and sports activities by helping restore proper muscle length. Reduced hamstring flexibility can affect the waist and pelvis biomechanics, potentially causing low back pain or musculoskeletal issues. The study addresses gaps in current knowledge by comparing foam rolling and PNF stretching as warm-up exercises. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two training programs foam rolling or PNF stretching. The foam rolling group will perform 5 minutes of light aerobic cycling followed by 2 minutes of foam rolling on the dominant leg. The PNF stretching group will also do 5 minutes of cycling and then 2 minutes of PNF stretching exercises on the dominant leg. These interventions aim to measure differences in muscle flexibility, strength, and pain threshold immediately after warm-up. During the study, hamstring flexibility, muscle strength, and pain threshold will be evaluated before and immediately after the intervention. Additional assessments include lower extremity muscle strength. The trial includes adults aged 18 to 30 who are amateur athletes. The study uses a randomized, double-blind design to compare the effects of these two warm-up techniques on muscle performance and pain sensitivity.

Researchers are evaluating whether breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber after intense cycling exercise can help competitive male cyclists recover better and improve their performance the next day. The study focuses on healthy male road cyclists aged 18 to 40 who compete at the national level in Belgium. Despite widespread use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in sports recovery, clear scientific evidence of its benefits after a single session of strenuous endurance exercise is lacking. Participants complete a fatiguing cycling session then are randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving different oxygen levels during recovery. Two groups breathe pure oxygen at increased pressures of 2.5 or 1.4 atmospheres absolute inside a hyperbaric chamber. Another group breathes pure oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure, and the fourth receives a sham treatment that mimics the chamber environment without extra oxygen. The study is double-blind, so neither participants nor assessors know who receives which treatment. During the study, researchers measure next-day endurance performance by assessing the decline in time to exhaustion relative to baseline. Blood samples and physiological data are also collected to understand recovery mechanisms. Participation involves one hour of oxygen exposure after exercise, and the study spans about 18 months to capture these effects. Safety and recovery responses are closely monitored throughout.

Researchers are studying how a single dose of sodium bicarbonate affects physical performance and blood markers in highly trained female basketball players aged 16 to 35. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial aims to fill the knowledge gap on how this supplement may support repeated high-intensity efforts in women, as previous studies mainly involved men. The study focuses on basketball players who regularly engage in training and competition. Participants will receive a single oral dose of sodium bicarbonate at 0.3 gkg body weight or a placebo in identical capsules 90 minutes before exercise testing. The study uses a crossover design where each participant receives both treatments separated by a washout period. This setup allows researchers to compare individual responses to the supplement versus placebo under controlled laboratory conditions. Throughout the study, participants will attend several visits including familiarization, baseline, and two experimental sessions. During these visits, they will complete repeated modified Wingate Anaerobic Tests and countermovement jumps while researchers measure power output, blood biochemical markers such as bicarbonate and pH, oxygen uptake, heart rate, perceived exertion, gastrointestinal symptoms, and body composition. These assessments will help evaluate the effects of sodium bicarbonate on physical capacity and biochemical responses in this athletic population.

Researchers are investigating the physical and mental health needs of collegiate athletes, focusing on how these needs differ while athletes are active in sports compared to after they have retired. The study aims to better understand the types of support athletes require during and after their sports careers, especially as they transition out of sport. It includes both current and former collegiate athletes. The study has two parts first, an anonymous online survey will be conducted with 200 athletes to gather quantitative data on the support they need. Second, focus groups involving 50 athletes who are about to retire or have recently retired will be held to collect qualitative insights. These two approaches together will provide a broad understanding of athlete support needs. Participants will engage by completing the online survey or participating in focus groups depending on their status. Researchers will collect feedback over one year to evaluate support needs. The study is observational and involves no treatment or intervention. Participants can expect to provide personal input about their experiences and support requirements during and after their athletic careers.

Researchers are investigating the immediate and short-term effects of augmented feedback on shoulder muscle strength and performance. This study focuses on how real-time quantitative feedback during isometric training affects peak force and rate of force development of the shoulders internal and external rotator muscles. The trial includes healthy, physically active adults aged 18 to 30, aiming to enhance understanding of performance improvement strategies in shoulder training. Participants will complete two training sessions involving isometric strength exercises for the dominant shoulder rotator muscles. They will perform the exercises under two conditions in random order with augmented feedback and without feedback. The augmented feedback provides immediate quantitative information on force and rate of force development after each contraction. Between sessions, a 5-7 day washout period is included. Warm-up, familiarization, testing, and training use a specialized isometric dynamometer to measure strength and rate of force development precisely. During each session, participants undergo a warm-up, familiarization with the testing device, and three strength tests before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after training to assess retention. The isometric training consists of three 5-second maximal contractions with rest periods. Measurements of peak force and rate of force development are recorded at each test. The study monitors performance changes and retention of strength gains, using standardized positions and verbal instructions to ensure consistent execution throughout the trial.

Musculoskeletal pain, poor postural control, and decreased movement quality are growing concerns among young adults, partly due to sedentary lifestyles and low physical activity. Basic Body Awareness Therapy BBAT is a physiotherapy-based mind-body method that aims to improve body awareness, balance, postural stability, and movement quality through controlled functional exercises. This study investigates the effects of a 12-week BBAT program on balance, musculoskeletal pain, spinal mobility, and flexibility in healthy young adults aged 18 to 40 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a BBAT intervention group or a control group. The intervention involves weekly supervised BBAT sessions lasting 45 to 60 minutes each, focusing on postural alignment, muscle activation and relaxation, breathing awareness, weight transfer, balance control, and movement quality. The control group will not receive any intervention during the study. The program runs over 12 weeks, with all sessions led by a trained physiotherapist. Participants will be assessed before and after the 12-week period for spinal mobility and flexibility as primary outcomes, along with musculoskeletal pain and balance as secondary outcomes. Assessments include mobility, pain, and balance tests conducted independently by participants. The study tracks changes over the intervention period, with a total participation duration of approximately 12 weeks. Safety and adherence will be monitored throughout the trial.